Manoa Falls

by Jenny Lee

Manoa falls is a relatively unknown corner of Oahu which you must
definitely not miss. The Valley of Manoa holds a towering pristine
waterfall and one of the best wilderness rain forest experiences on the
island. Manoa Valley also shelters an arboretum, a lovely Chinese
graveyard where food is left for the departed, and a wonderful old
established neighborhood.

In Waikiki, go mauka (towards the mountains) to Ala Wai Boulevard
and turn left onto it. Make a right turn at the McCully Street bridge.
Go straight ahead on McCully Street and you will pass over the H1 freeway.
Immediately after the overpass turn right on Metcalf Street and proceed to
University Avenue. Make a left turn onto University Ave. Proceed into
the valley after passing the University of Hawaii and continue to follow
the road. At the end of Manoa Road just past the Paradise Park parking
lot on the right, and the entrance to the Lyon Arboretum further on and to
the left, is a heavily shaded area of dead end road. You may park
alongside it, but do not leave anything showing in the car, or be seen
placing anything in the trunk of your car. Make all your preparations for
the hike to Manoa Falls before reaching this point. If you don't feel
comfortable leaving your car here, park it in the Lyon Arboretum lot, go
to the gift shop and pay $2, then walk back down to Manoa Road.

Be sure to bring water. Brief rain showers can be expected almost
daily in the afternoon. If there has been a heavy rain, delay you hike as
the stream will be dangerously swollen, and the falls will be rampaging
and filled with falling rocks from above. Better wait for another day.

Walk to the end of the road past the four concrete posts and
follow the clearly visible path to the right over a small footbridge.
Notice the enormous leaves of the Elephant Ear plants below the bridge. A
few yards past the bridge the path veers left into the forest and at a
trail marker immediately crosses a small stream in which a rock footpath
has been laid so you can keep your feet dry. Keep in mind that for the
entire hike, you are following the stream that you can see on your right
uphill, but you never cross it. If the trail at times seems unclear, just
look down and follow the footprints in the mud. If you stray off the
trail, which is unlikely, just stop and listen for the sound of the stream
and head back toward it. The stream's source is Manoa Falls. Manoa
Stream will always be close by on your right, and following it will lead
you right to the Falls.

The Manoa Falls Trail, being only 3/4 of a mile long and taking
about 2 hours for the round trip, is a favorite with the locals. There
are a couple of places that require a scramble up over rocks or tree
roots, and the muddy trail narrows at the edge of a precipice once or
twice, so unruly children could get in trouble. But responsible kids will
love it, and if it's a typical weekend, you will pass numbers of
supervised muddy groups along the way. It's a great opportunity for both
them and the visitor to live out the classic island fantasy of swimming
beneath a cool, tumbling waterfall.

This trail is muddy, slippery, and uphill. Dress appropriately.
Every step should be deliberate because large boulders and networks of
tangled tree roots lay across much of this trail. This is a real rain
forest, so the hike can be hot and humid. Mosquito repellent helps, as
does wearing long pants and not wearing anything scented.

Along the path, ferns grow from the streams and you can see bright
orange Tulip Tree blossoms covering the foot path. Nectar feeding birds
can be seen clinging to these blooms high in the canopy. Mountain apples
drop their juicy edible fruits along the way. You can usually find these
right below the falls area. You can detect a strong vinegar smell from
the rotting fruits fermenting. All the way up to the falls, pools in the
stream hold live gobys and prawns.

After the sweaty hike, plunging into the pool's surprisingly
chilly waters comes as a pleasant shock, and the pounding of the tumbling
cascade on the back of you neck and shoulders feels like nirvana. Believe
me, the cold water compensates with an incredible refreshing feeling.
There is a real sense of spirituality here, where you can sit and
contemplate your environment. These are all the things that help make
Manoa Falls a place where Hawaiian dreams do come true.